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The only thing I can think of that's left to talk about with comping would be comping for yourself, right?? Any more topics you guys can think of.

I figured we could squeeze one more week with comping for yourself and then wrap this up. But I was wrong last week, so if you think there are more topics let me know! Otherwise, let's move onto 'Solo Comping' and 'Comping for Yourself'. Something like that!!!

Any one in education that knows about certificates? I'm just wondering about making a 2 year course and handing out a certificate upon completion. And what's cool is we could ALL be involved with the process of others getting certificates! Hmm.

Just thinking out loud. I do about 1 out every 10 ideas I post on the site. But I've been thinking about this.

A certificate is only really valid by reputation, right??

We should wrap up the chord and harmony festival, huh???

What about we get into lines. A bebop tune a week for 8 weeks. Play analyze and talk about the tune.

I'm just learning Little Willie Leaps and it's such a cool tune. The thing about bebop heads is you get to FEEL what a great solo feels like, don't you? Basically the bebop heads are refined solos.

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We recently passed the number of 2500 members!! Isn't that great? Let's keep it up!... Our first 'Chords & Harmony - Comping Festival' started early this month: check out 'all tons' of lessons and join the party! And don't miss the 'Lesson of the Month' for all members! We are also updating the V-Books. More below.

EVENTS: - THIS WEEK END!! – DON'T MISS THEM!! -

- VIBE HANG: Saturday November 5th!! - TOMORROW! - 2 to 4 p.m. (GMT-4): www.vibesworkshop.com/node/6265/

What do you see when you play the vibes. What's your perspective?

I always saw it as a guitar or even a violin (after studying Bach). Never really saw it as a piano. But yes it looks like a piano and there are many similar things. I guess since I great up playing guitar, that that's where that comes from.

Playing 'All God's Chillin' Got Rhythm'. Practicing my up tempos. As I'm playing I'm thinking wow, this is a drum. I was getting into this whole drum thing on the vibes and it was so cool. To play with just 2 mallets and think of this as a melodic drum was a great experience for me today. Really exciting. I know many of us say it's a piano (which it's not). I think of it as a guitar (which it's not), but today it felt like a drum (which it's not).... Well today it was!

Why don't we all answer these. Here are my answers

Where's the dividing line between playing a melodically interesting accompaniment and overpowering the soloist?

I'm going to put the word out to Behn, Ted, Mike and all the other guys for comping lessons. I'll also do some as well.

Let's start off with questions? You have any questions about comping??

I always tell my students that everybody should always have questions about everything in music. Even the pros. That's the sign of interest, I think. If you're interested in something you think about it and have lots of questions.

So...... Have any questions??? :-)

A while ago John Keene was recommending Rhapsody the music streaming service to us all. I disagreed and thought it was better to buy the mp3s. I thought a streaming service was not cool. Man I was wrong.

I pick a tune do a search for it and play along with track after track. All these different versions and interpretations of the melody. I'm using Spotify and I pay the monthly fee. It's so worth it.... and great for practicing tunes!!

Thanks John!

OK have we looked at chords and harmony enough? Not including all the other stuff on the site that would fit into this category. There's a ton now about chords and harmony. We've analyzed tunes, broken harmony down. I think we've done a lot.

So I think we should now start comping. I think more than how you solo it matters how you accompany others. In fact if I was a better soloist than you and you were a much better comper than I was and you took decent solos, I think you'd be in a better position to work than me. That is as a 4 mallet player.